I. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the treatment of wastewater, and more particularly to the aerobic treatment of such wastewater using a plurality of chambers in series augmented by the introduction of select biological and enzymatic agents.
II. Description of the Problems and Prior Art
The rapid advance of industrial technology has added new concerns for the wastewater field. Chemical compounds of increased complexity and quantities are being discharged into sewers and waterways by industry, municipalities and other commercial businesses. The impact of these waste discharges on water and wastewater treatment processes is harmful in some cases and unknown in others. As the effects of these chemicals on health and the environment becomes more understood, existing treatment methodologies must be adapted to counter their negative impact.
In the field of wastewater treatment, most treatment processes have several common goals. Specifically, such goals often comprise: (1) the neutralization or degradation of certain harmful chemical and/or biological matter, (2) the reduction of sludge as a by-product of the treatment process itself, (3) the reduction of gaseous odors, such as those from methane, ammonia and hydrogen sulfide, and (4) the reduction in cost of products and services used to implement treatment processes. Understandably, each of the aforementioned goals are highly interrelated to one other, as the achievement of one goal often means the sacrifice to some extent of one or more other goals. In addition, the satisfaction of each of these goals is largely dependent upon a number of sub-goals, such as the reduction of total suspended solids, total dissolved solids, biological oxygen demand (BOD), and chemical oxygen demand (COD). For many industries, compliance with stringent regulatory requirements regarding discharge amounts and quality is also of paramount importance.
In the past, there have been numerous attempts to treat varying forms of wastewater by exposing the wastewater to air and introducing biological supplements designed to digest the harmful or undesired waste constituents. While many of those inventions have encountered varying degrees of success, there is a surprising lack of wastewater treatment technology that provides highly effective treatment for a wide range of wastewater constituents. Moreover, few devices are suitable for use in environments which require ease of use, transportability and a small work volume for the device. Consequently, the present invention described hereinbelow satisfies the need for such a device.